Pinterest - Quick Tips to Become a "Pinner"
February 24, 2012
Learning about Pinterest is always a revelation as they continue to modify their policies and Pin Etiquette. I used to love Pinterest and then with Instagram my interest faded. It is difficult to manage so many different platforms.
After some hours of experimentation, I can share several tips to help you become a "Pinner" and take advantage of some of the unique features of Pinterest that are different from other social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter.
The great realization is that Pinterest is a natural website for artists and makers since it is image-based. Artists/makers can post images of anything and everything we love. It could be like a sketchbook of inspiration or function for self-promotion. I do however have several reservations and concerns which will be discussed here.
The top priority is to always always, always include a link to the original source for the image.
Credit Your Sources
Pins are most useful when they have links back to the original source. If you discover a pin that is not sourced correctly, leave a comment so that the original pinner can update the source. Finding the original source is always preferable to a secondary source such as Google Image Search or a blog entry.
Include as much information as available about the image in the text box with your original pin. This is your only chance to include the appropriate information including the artist's name, description, and photo credit with the image.
COMMENTS DO NOT TRAVEL WITH THE IMAGE: An unfortunate aspect is that your comment does not travel with the image if it is repinned. Thus efforts to include additional information about the image or a link to the original source (in the comment) will only be on that particular page. Nowhere else. Test this yourself. Comments do not travel with the image.
PIN ETHICALLY AND LEGALLY
My recommendation is to never pin an image that is not already posted on the internet. In other words, I do not scan a photographic image from a book or magazine for the purpose of pinning an image. I figure that if the artist wanted the image online they would have already put it on the web, and I do not have permission ethically or legally to scan the image from a publication.
I also do not pin from an artist's website, but only from commercial sites or design blogs where it can be presumed that the artist/maker/designer is prepared to have their image travel on the internet to unpredictable locations on Pinterest. Why else would they have posted images of their work on such high-traffic locations?
Do NOT repin an image if there is no original source (link) for the image. This is just continuing to repeat a poor-quality pin.
Do NOT repin images if the information is incomplete, or inaccurate.
NEVER PIN AN IMAGE with the expectation to copy or "Make One for Yourself"
Follow the Pinterest precept BE Nice. It seems to be the only Pin Etiquette that remains consistent despite the whims of fashion.
You can combine your Pinterest with Facebook and Twitter. You can decide to automatically post your Pin on Facebook or Twitter as shown below.
This is a "Settings".
HOVER on your NAME.
A drop-down menu appears.
CLICK on settings.
SCROLL DOWN
CLICK ON THE BUTTONs to make your selection.
THE PRICE BANNER PROBLEM.
A Dollar sign with numbers in the text box automatically puts a banner across the top left corner (shown above). I think it looks tacky. The banner goes across your image and puts the price as a prominent feature. Does everything have to be about price?
Including a price in the description text is an option. Use words such as "Retail Price." This is shown below.
Descriptions are limited to 500 words. So keep that in mind.
You don't need to follow a person, but you can FOLLOW one of their Boards. Just CLICK on the FOLLOW BUTTON (as shown below). You can also UNFOLLOW any time.
Find me on Pinterest. I look forward to seeing your pins.
This post was updated on March 11, 2022.